October 2016

Oct 31, 2016

The park issued a news release Monday, explaining that the investigation is complete and that no citations were issued.

The collision occurred at about 5:30 a.m. on U.S. Highway 89/26/191.

However, rangers were not informed until 9:30 a.m., when another motorist reported sighting a bear carcass next to the highway.

A damaged vehicle was parked nearby. Rangers later located the owner, who explained that the accidental collision occurred in the predawn darkness.

The park concluded its news release with this notice to visitors:

"Rangers remind drivers to be alert when driving through the park as animals are migrating this time of year. Please watch for wildlife and observe the posted speed limits, including a 45 mile-per-hour night time speed limit on US Highway 89/26/191."

–Generic grizzly bear image is courtesy of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

A guide who was involved in the controversial Cecil the Lion trophy hunt last year has been arrested in Zimbabwe and charged with illegally killing a roan antelope.

Headman Sibanda, 56, was arrested Thursday after authorities received a tip about his alleged involvement in poaching an endangered roan antelope.

According to Times Live, killing a roan antelope in Zimbabwe carries a maximum sentence of nine years in prison. Sibanda was jailed, but planned to apply for bail.

Roan antelope

The roan antelope is found mostly in savannas in West and Central Africa. It has become regionally extinct in two African countries, according to the African Wildlife Foundation, which cites poaching and loss of habitat is key threats to the species.

Cecil the Lion, a favorite among tourists in Hwange National Park, was killed outside the park by an American dentist in July 2015, sparking international outrage.

The hunting party was said to have lured Cecil beyond park boundaries with an animal carcass tied to the bumper of a truck.

The 13-yea-old lion, who was GPS collared and part of a research project, was shot with a crossbow and stalked for 40 hours before being finished off with a rifle.

According to Times Live, Sibanda sold the permit used by a Zimbabwe safari company to host Palmer's trophy hunt.

After a long investigation, authorities announced that they would not charge the hunter, Walter Palmer of Minnesota, because he had acquired proper paperwork and the legal authority to hunt on private land.

Because of the fierce controversy in the weeks following the hunt, Palmer was forced into hiding because of threats and protests.

Oct 14, 2016

A diver hoping to photograph great white sharks from the safety of a metal cage instead found himself hunkering down while a crazed shark – which had somehow broke through the bars to join the man – tried desperately to escape.

"Oh God... I almost had a heart attack," the diver says in the accompanying video, in the aftermath of his harrowing encounter.

It was the second time in less than a month that a great white shark had entered an occupied cage at Mexico’s Guadalupe Island.

During the latest incident, the shark was following a chunk of tuna being pulled alongside the cage by a crewman aboard Solmar V. The shark lunged, crashed through the bars, and 30 seconds of chaos ensued before the shark leaped out of the cage through its open top.

When the diver climbed out of the cage and onto the boat, there was a tangible sigh of relief.

Great white shark bleeds while finally escaping through the top of the cage.

The video was uploaded Monday by YouTube user Gabe and Garret. Their father, who also has not responded to an inquiry, wrote on Facebook:

“Great white sharks are awesome and what appears to be an 'attack' on a diving cage is not. They are temporarily blinded when they open their mouths, so when the shark went for the tuna bait on the rope it accidentally slammed into the cage.

“They can't swim backwards so it thrust forward through the cage with a diver inside. Rest assured, no one was injured and after a dramatic half minute, the diver emerged safely.”